U.S. patent number 5,996,859 [Application Number 09/081,811] was granted by the patent office on 1999-12-07 for hinged dispensing closure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Creative Packaging Corp.. Invention is credited to James M. Beck.
United States Patent |
5,996,859 |
Beck |
December 7, 1999 |
Hinged dispensing closure
Abstract
A hinged closure including a lid hingedly connected to a base
positioned upon a container for dispensing of the contents thereof.
The base is formed with an upper wall including an angled deck
surface. The lid has a peripheral wall with a portion thereof of
reduced thickness to permit flexing thereof. When the lid is in
closed position over the base, the reduced thickness portion of the
lid is disposed adjacent to the angled deck surface. Upon exertion
of a force against said reduced thickness portion of the lid, said
portion flexes inwardly and a terminal edge thereof ramps upwardly
on the angled deck surface to cause the lid to pivot into open
position with respect to the base.
Inventors: |
Beck; James M. (Long Grove,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Creative Packaging Corp.
(Buffalo Grove, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22166552 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/081,811 |
Filed: |
May 20, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/556;
215/237 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
47/0809 (20130101); B65D 2251/105 (20130101); B65D
2251/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
47/08 (20060101); B65D 047/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/556
;215/237,224,225,303,238 ;220/281,283 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bomberg; Kenneth
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Silverman, Cass & Singer,
Ltd.
Claims
I claim:
1. A hinged dispensing closure for a container having a neck, the
container adapted to retain product to be dispensed therefrom, said
closure comprising, a base for placement on said neck, a lid
pivotally connected to said base at a hinge, said base including a
body portion engaged upon said neck and an upper wall extending
from said body portion, a passageway formed in said upper wall to
permit the product in said container to be dispensed therethrough,
said lid being pivotal about said hinge to a first position in
which the lid is engaged over said base to close said passageway
and prevent the product from being dispensed, said lid having a
rear wall and said hinge being connected to the lid proximate said
rear wall, said lid having a front wall disposed at a location
spaced from said rear wall, the front wall terminating at a lower
edge which engages the upper wall of the base when the lid is in
said first position, said front wall being of reduced thickness
with respect to the remaining portions of the lid to permit flexing
of said front wall when a force is applied thereto, said upper wall
of the base including an angled deck surface juxtaposed the front
wall of the lid when the lid is in the first position, whereby upon
exertion of said force against said front wall the front wall
flexes to move the lower edge along the angled deck surface causing
the front wall to ramp upwardly on the angled deck surface and
pivotally move the lid from said first position to a second
position in which the lid is disengaged from said base and said
passageway is opened.
2. A closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said upper wall of the
base includes a spout formed thereon and said passageway is
positioned in said spout.
3. A closure as claimed in claim 2 in which said lid is of
generally cup-shaped configuration having a top wall covering said
front and rear walls, a plug depending from said top wall and
positioned to be in registry with said spout when the lid is in
said first position.
4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said base is threadedly
engaged upon said neck.
5. A closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said hinge is a
snap-open hinge.
6. A closure as claimed in claim 3 in which said lid is of
generally circular cross-sectional configuration.
7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said front wall
includes at least one protruding ridge formed thereon.
8. A closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said upper wall is
generally planar except in the area proximate said angled deck
surface, said angled deck surface being of generally
crescent-shaped configuration, said deck surface having a first
portion which terminates along a peripheral edge of said upper wall
at an elevation which is lower than another portion of said deck
surface which is oppositely disposed with respect to said first
portion.
9. A closure as claimed in claim 8 in which the lower edge of the
lid which terminates at the front wall is disposed adjacent the
first portion of said deck surface when the lid is in said first
position.
10. A closure as claimed in claim 9 in which said lower edge moves
from a position adjacent the first portion of the deck surface to
said other portion of the deck surface when the force is exerted
against said front wall of the lid.
11. In combination, a container having a neck and a hinged
dispensing closure for said container, said container adapted to
retain product to be dispensed therefrom, said closure comprising,
a base for placement on said neck, a lid pivotally connected to
said base at a hinge, said base including a body portion engaged
upon said neck and an upper wall extending from said body portion,
a passageway formed in said upper wall to permit the product in
said container to be dispensed therethrough, said lid being pivotal
about said hinge to a first position in which the lid is engaged
over said base to close said passageway and prevent the product
from being dispensed, said lid having a rear wall and said hinge
being connected to the lid proximate said rear wall, said lid
having a front wall disposed at a location spaced from said rear
wall, the front wall terminating at a lower edge which engages the
upper wall of the base when the lid is in said first position, said
front wall being of reduced thickness with respect to the remaining
portions of the lid to permit flexing of said front wall when a
force is applied thereto, said upper wall of the base including an
angled deck surface juxtaposed the front wall of the lid when the
lid is in the first position, whereby upon exertion of said force
against said front wall the front wall flexes to move the lower
edge along the angled deck surface causing the front wall to ramp
upwardly on the angled deck surface and pivotally move the lid from
said first position to a second position in which the lid is
disengaged from said base and said passageway is opened.
12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 in which said upper wall
of the base includes a spout formed thereon and said passageway is
positioned in said spout.
13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 in which said lid is of
generally cup-shaped configuration having a top wall covering said
front and rear walls, a plug depending from said top wall and
positioned to be in registry with said spout when the lid is in
said first position.
14. The combination as claimed in claim 11 in which said base is
threadedly engaged upon said neck.
15. The combination as claimed in claim 11 in which said hinge is a
snap-open hinge.
16. The combination as claimed in claim 13 in which said lid is of
generally circular cross-sectional configuration.
17. The combination as claimed in claim 11 in which said front wall
includes at least one protruding ridge formed thereon.
18. The combination as claimed in claim 11 in which said upper wall
is generally planar except in the area proximate said angled deck
surface, said angled deck surface being of generally
crescent-shaped configuration, said deck surface having a first
portion which terminates along a peripheral edge of said upper wall
at an elevation which is lower than another portion of said deck
surface which is oppositely disposed with respect to said first
portion.
19. The combination as claimed in claim 18 in which the lower edge
of the lid which terminates at the front wall is disposed adjacent
the first portion of said deck surface when the lid is in said
first position.
20. The combination as claimed in claim 19 in which said lower edge
moves from a position adjacent the first portion of the deck
surface to said other portion of the deck surface when the force is
exerted against said front wall of the lid.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hinged dispensing closures for
containers and more particularly, to snap-open type closures in
which the lid snaps away from the base to permit product to be
dispensed from such containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hinged dispensing closures for containers are known, as represented
in the prior art patents of record herein. Such closures commonly
include a pivotally mounted lid hingedly connected to a base and
capable of being moved between a closed and an open dispensing
position. In the closed position, the lid covers a dispensing
opening formed in the base, and in the open position, the lid is
moved away from the opening to permit product to be dispensed from
the container.
Prior art closures with pivotally mounted lids also are known to
include hinge constructions to maintain the lid in open position
away from the base without an outside restraining force, and also
to maintain the lid in closed position over the base such as by
friction fit of matingly engagable parts between the lid and the
base. Representative illustrations of such closures are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,502 and 5,007,555 which are owned by the
same assignee as the assignee of the present application. The
disclosures of said commonly owned patents hereby are incorporated
herein by reference.
It is desirable to provide a convenient and expedient structure for
causing the lid of such closures to snap open with respect to the
base to permit dispensing of the contents of the container on which
such closure is mounted. Preferably, such structure is operable
upon engagement of a single digit on a hand of the user so that a
container is openable with minimal effort and inconvenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a snap-open type hinged dispensing closure
including a lid connected to a base at a hinge. The lid is retained
in closed position by engagement, for example, of a depending plug
on the inner surface of the lid which is disposed over a spout
formed on an upper wall of the base. Alternatively, mating
undercuts could be formed between mating surfaces on the lid and
the base to effect removable engagement therebetween. The lid is of
generally cup-shaped configuration with a front wall disposed
opposite a rear wall to which the hinge joinder with the base is
disposed. The front wall is of reduced thickness with respect to
the remainder to the lid to permit flexing of said front wall when
a user engages same with a digit, such as the thumb of the user's
hand. The upper wall of the base is formed with an angled deck
surface juxtaposed the front wall of the lid when the same is in
closed position over the base. When the user pushes against the
front wall with a digit of the user's hand, the wall flexes
inwardly causing a lower edge of the lid adjacent to the front wall
to ramp upwardly on the angled deck surface of the base. This
action causes the lid to pivot about the hinge with respect to the
base to effect snap opening of the closure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hinged dispensing closure of
the invention, the same being shown installed in closed position on
a container neck;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, in
the direction indicated generally;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2, with the
front wall of the lid being shown in flexed condition upon
assertion of a force thereagainst by a digit of the hand of a
user;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hinged dispensing closure of
the invention, the same being shown in open position on a container
neck; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4 in
the direction indicated generally.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The hinged dispensing closure 10 of the invention includes a lid 12
connected to a base 14 by a hinge 16. Hinge 16 is positioned
between a rear portion 18 of lid 12 and a rear portion 20 of upper
wall 22 of base 14.
Base 14 includes a body portion 24 formed with threads 26 on the
inner surface 28 thereof for engagement with mating threads 30
formed on the neck 32 of a container 34. Upper wall 22 extends from
body portion 24 and a spout 38 is formed thereon defining a
passageway 39 terminating in opening 40 to permit product in
container 34 to be dispensed therethrough.
Hinge 16 can be formed in the configuration of any structure, such
as, but not limited to, the snap-open hinges disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,793,502 or 5,007,555. Other hinges, including non snap-open
type hinges, are contemplated to be within the scope of the present
invention and may be used on the closure thereof.
Lid 12 is of generally cup-shaped configuration, including a
peripheral wall 50 of generally circular cross-sectional
configuration, and top wall 52. A depending plug 54 is formed on
the underside 56 of top wall 52 and is positioned to be in registry
with opening 40 of spout 38 when the lid is disposed in closed
relationship with respect to base 14 (see FIG. 2). The
cross-sectional dimension of plug 54 is slightly less than the
cross-sectional dimension of spout 38 so that there will be a
friction-fit of plug 54 over spout 38 when the lid is disposed in
closed relationship with respect to base 14. In this manner, the
engagement of plug 54 over spout 38 maintains the lid 12 in closed
position over base 14 until the same is opened. Alternatively,
matingly engagable undercuts (not shown) could be formed between
lid 12 and base 14 to retain same in closed position until opening
of the lid is desired.
The cross-sectional thickness of all portions of peripheral wall
50, except that of front wall portion 60 thereof, are substantially
uniform. Front wall portion 60 is formed of a cross-sectional
thickness which is less than that of the remaining portions of
peripheral wall 50 to permit said front wall portion 60 to be
flexed readily upon exertion of a force thereagainst, such as by
pushing by a digit 62 of a user's hand (see FIG. 3). The external
surface 61 of front wall portion 60 may be formed with protruding
ridges 63 to enhance the gripping force exerted by a user's digit
and prevent slipping of the digit along the surface 61.
Upper wall 22 of base 14 is generally planar except proximate front
portion 70 which is located diametrically opposite that of rear
portion 20. Front portion 70 is formed as an angled deck surface 72
and is of generally crescent-shaped configuration. A portion of
deck surface 72 terminates along the periphery 74 of upper wall 22
at an elevation which is lower than the oppositely disposed portion
76 of deck surface 72 which terminates at the plane of upper wall
22.
When the lid 12 is positioned over base 14 in closed position, plug
54 engages spout 38 and peripheral terminating edge 80 of lid 12 is
engaged proximate upper wall 22 of base 14. When it is desired to
open the closure 10, a user engages a digit 62 of a hand against
front wall portion 60 and pushes against said front wall portion.
Such action causes front wall 60 to flex inwardly causing the area
77 of terminating edge 80 adjacent wall portion 60 to ride along
angled deck surface 72 and ramp upwardly on said deck surface. This
action causes the lid 12 to pivot about hinge 16 to release plug 54
from spout 38 to effect opening of the closure (see FIG. 3).
Upon release of the force of digit 62 against front wall portion
60, the same resumes its unflexed condition, permitting lid 12 to
be re-engaged over base 14 to close the closure as seen in FIGS.
1-2.
Minor variations in the structure and other variations in the
arrangement and size of the various parts may occur to those
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or
circumventing the scope of the invention as set forth in the
appended claims.
* * * * *